SWIHA Blog

Marketing your small business on social media is necessary in this day and age. The world has three and a half billion active social media users and that number is growing each year by two hundred million. That is an abundance of potential clients to reach, influence and offer your services to! However, you can’t just post and hope for the best. Today, we’ll take a look at marketing your wellness business effectively on the largest social media platform, Facebook.

By far the most popular option for small business marketing online, Facebook is currently dominating the social media scene with 2,375 billion user profiles.

You’ve got your skills, your business name, your offerings outlined and your ideal client in mind. Many people get to this stage and think: Now what? Today, we’ll be looking at ways to create a powerful brand identity to attract right-fit clients, help you stand out and create consistency within your marketing materials.

What is a Brand Identity?

A brand identity is a combination of elements within your marketing materials that serve to make you instantly recognizable. Your audience will naturally connect your brand identity with your products and/or services which increases loyalty and recognition. Getting clear on what your brand identity is helps you to appear consistent, professional and trustworthy.

If you were to tell someone fifty years ago that you’re going to a hypnotherapy session or a sound bath, their reaction would likely have been a mix of confusion and laughter. Holistic wellness was something for the counterculture, living on the fringe in spiritual communities and somewhat cloaked in taboo.

Today, more and more people are embracing holistic modalities

Between 2012 and 2016, the number of Americans doing yoga increased from 20.4 million to 36 million.

The number of U.S. consumers who adhere to a vegan diet grew from 1% to 6% between 2014 and 2017, increasing 600%.

“Everything that happens in life has a lesson. Sometimes you have to look harder to find it, but it is there,” affirms Jenny Sirwet.

Jenny is a graduate of the 800-Hour Yoga Teacher Training program, has studied Polarity, Life Coaching and Aromatherapy, and serves future SWIHA community members in the Admissions department with her warm and welcoming presence. Though Jenny is now what we lovingly call a ‘SWIHA-Lifer’, she admits that she didn’t quite jump in to her journey feet-first: “I was allergic to the word ‘trauma’ when I first started as a student at SWIHA,” discloses Jenny, “That word was a trigger for me. It was a reminder of the ‘victim mentality’, which I try to avoid.”

Five years ago, Jenny suffered a serious back injury which launched her into a journey of healing and a mindset of growth. After a year and a half of physical therapy, she had lumbar spine surgery in August of 2016 followed by six more months of remedial exercises.

Every year, the EWG (Environmental Working Group) analyzes the chemical residue on fruits and vegetables widely available in the average grocery store. Their report notes things such as the average number of pesticides found on a single sample and the maximum number of particles detected.

It’s no secret: Our society is saturated with unhealthy, unbalanced options for food. In fact, many households spend over three-thousand dollars--or 10% of the average income--eating out per year; the United States fast food industry is forecasted to make 223 billion dollars by 2020.

The Standard American Diet (S.A.D) is causing an epidemic of diabetes, cancer, heart disease and a slew of other ailments to affect ourselves, friends, family and loved ones. According to the U.S Department of Health & Human Services and the Center for Disease Control:

Herbs and spices have been an integral part of cuisines around the world since the days of hunter-gatherers; and not just for their taste! Early Egyptians, Indians and Greeks are just a few cultures who have documented the use of herbs and spices for medicinal purposes and passed down their knowledge from generation to generation.

In the present-day, modern science has uncovered some fascinating properties to these tasty additions, reaffirming some ancient knowledge and discovering new ways of thinking about what we put in to our meals. As the great thinker, Hippocrates, advised us: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

Today, we’ll be looking at some super seasonings and their studied health benefits!

Superfoods are low-calorie, nutrient-dense and full of fiber foods which are high in antioxidants and help fight free radicals in your system. Many even contain essential fatty acids, like omega-3, -6, -9, and hard-to-find omega-7. While the idea of a ‘superfood’ is a modern concept, they are mostly ancient root vegetables, fruits, and even fungus and algae.

In honor of National Nutrition Month, we will be exploring some of the trending superfoods and how to incorporate them in to your diet. As an exciting bonus: all the foods on this list are vegan and gluten-free!

“As cliche as it sounds, I truly cannot believe I get to do what I love each day,” Taressa Riazzi, Hypnotherapist and Life Coach, tell us.

It used to be a very different story for Taressa. Prior to her healing journey, she was struggling through a challenging time; doing her best to be a stay-at-home mom while battling significant depression and debilitating anxiety. After realizing that putting everyone’s needs ahead of her own was having a negative impact on her emotional landscape, she knew something had to change.

“I originally was drawn to Southwest Institute of Healing Arts for the nutrition program,” she tells us, “however, after I experienced hypnosis and saw the impact it had on me and those I worked with, I decided to primarily practice hypnosis and life coaching.